A box of groceries

Yes it's that time of year again. Visualise four people crowding around and excitedly packing out a box of groceries. Hamper time has arrived!
Funny how all year round nobody shows interest in doing the weekly shopping- let alone helping to pack it out!
The recession is evident, if the faces around me are anything to go by- everyone is slightly less enthusiastic than normal.
So what goodies does the Albert Heijn Christmas hamper 2010 contain?
Well yes lots of fillers. There are plenty of snacks in stock that's for sure:
Savoury: crisps, savoury nibbles, tapenade (looks more like salsa) and nuts with caramalised red onion.
Sweet: chocolate-hazelnut cookies, meringue, Christmas shaped cookies and sweets, chocolate 'coffee beans'.
Drinks: Fair-trade tea- rooibos and spices, organic coffee (who still uses coffee these days? I thought everyone uses Senseo pads or Nespresso cups)
Amé, an elderberry and lemon soft drink.
Other items: A packet of soup, shower gel, body lotion.
A game similar to Jenga, with mini glasses instead of bricks. (Yes we couldn't resist to have a game)

Where have all the luxury items disappeared to? Mustn't sound ungrateful mind. Setting aside the fact that it is all free- there is a lot of work and effort gone into putting together these items. Someone has had to create an interesting box of groceries on a budget, someone else had to do all the packing.
We certainly enjoyed packing it out and I guess someone will enjoy eating it. Thank you Albert Heijn.
And now time for me to go away, have a good think about coming up with creative ways to get family members as enthusiastic about the weekly shopping…!

A Box of Delights

It's that time of year when your employer shows his appreciation for a year’s hard work in the token of a box of goodies, in other words it's Hamper Time.
I don't actually get one myself, running an own business, but I am allowed to share someone else’s :-)
Put together a cardboard box and the element of surprise and you get our full attention every time. Picture this scene: my son came in, all big smiles, and we were all huddle excitedly around a box!- four pairs of childlike eyes are eager to see what was in store, which wonderful treats would be revealed- and what totally useless items! (I don't mean to sound ungrateful but you sometimes get some pretty useless things in a hamper)
The all time favourites are present: vol au vent, this year in the shape of Christmas trees, with good old ragout filling,
The usual potato chip/ nut snacks, lots of very welcome chocolate in all shapes and forms including Dutch Droste.
Cookies and candy even some Christmas tree shaped marshmallow.
But what is this: a bake mix (oh that is so Dutch, literally everything is available in a packet form!) for making Christmas cookies, just add water- well I never!
Senseo coffee pads and an interesting flavour tea bags: Turkish, with apple, fig and date.
The customary bottle of wine seem to have been replaced (thank goodness I am very off wine at the moment ;-) by Le sirop de Monin 'Chocolate Cookie' syrup. For use in chocolate milk, Tiramisu or cocktails- I feel some inspiration coming along.

But where is the Christmas tree shaped pasta?
Replaced perhaps by two bottles of shower gel?
There are even Fortune cookies- will they give us a hint of what the new year will hold?
All in all a pretty useable hamper, not overly luxury but certainly enough to keep everyone happily munching through Christmas.
And what is even better, both my sons work part-time at the local supermarket so not do we have one, but we are doubly pleased!
Thank you Albert Heijn for allowing us to get so excited over a box of groceries.